Galveston-A Little More Time on the Island

Published in the La Vernia News on July 2, 2015

A Little More Time on the Island

Galveston Offers so Much to See and Do

Last week, we shared with you the history of Galveston, the beaches and several
family-fun activities. One attraction no visitor can ignore is the seawall, the
longest continuous sidewalk in the United States (just over 10 miles). It is
the “place to be”. It is a wide walkway, room for the crowds of people, either
strolling, biking or peddling a surrey for two or four. There are many bike and
surrey rentals along Seawall Blvd. Bikes rent for around $10 per hour and surreys
for $20. There are many rental places along the seawall; if it is a slow day,
you will probably get a bargain.

Everyday Journeys

Harry and Linda Kaye Perez

Enjoy a real, old fashioned chocolate malt at the lunch counter and soda fountain of the Star Drug Store in Galveston. Poplar lunch fare includes the store's burger and Reuben sandwich.

FREE FAMILY FUN

A fun thing to do is take the ferry to Bolivar Island. The island is
mainly residential, but the ride over and back is beautiful; dolphins can often
be seen swimming along side of the ferry. The ferry is free, as it is part of
the TXDot highway system. This ferry is the only lifeline for the residents and
visitors to Bolivar Island. Hint: If you
are just going for the ride, as you approach the ferry landing, stay in the far
right lane marked “walk on”. Park your car in the area provided. When the next
ferry docks, you can simply walk on. When you get to the island, stay on the ferry
and ride back. It takes about 20 minutes each way, plus the loading and
unloading time. As you leave, be sure to wave to all those folks still sitting
in their cars, waiting.

Another adventure, more like a treasure hunt, is to locate and view
the Tree Sculptures. When Hurricane Ike hit in 2008, many large trees were
badly damaged, but instead of cutting them down, several artists carved
beautiful art pieces from the stumps that remained in the ground. There are 21
of these beauties, scattered in a five-square block area between Broadway and
Postoffice Roads. Stop at the Visitors Center at 2528 Broadway (Avenue J) and pick
up a free map to guide you. You can drive, bike or walk the area. Many are on
private property, but we spoke with several of the residents and they really
don’t mind people stopping to look and take pictures.

ART, MUSEUMS AND HISTORICAL HOMES

So much to see- the Moody Mansion,
the Bishop’s Palace, the Railroad Museum, the oldest German-Catholic Church in
Texas, Ashton Villa (an ante-bellum mansion built in 1859), the Menard Home (the
oldest in Galveston built in 1838), and the Grand Opera House on the Strand.

If art is your passion, there are 19
art galleries on the island. For the last 25 years, the Galveston Art Center has presented ArtWalk
on Saturday nights in the heart of the historic district. Upcoming Artwalk dates
are July 11, August 22, October 10 and November 28.

THE STRAND

Walk the Strand Historic District
and enjoy one of the magnificent collections of historic buildings in the U.S.
There are Victorian and early 20th century buildings, streetcars, horse-drawn
carriages, unique shops, art galleries, candy stores, a wonderful array of
restaurants, a fabulous coffeehouse named the MOD, and our favorite, the Star Drug
Store.

We stopped at the Star to get a real, authentic chocolate malt and got
a great history lesson with it. Originally constructed of wood in 1886, the
Star survived the Great Storm of 1900. It was converted to an all brick
building in 1909 and the soda fountain & lunch counter were added in 1917. It
was destroyed by fire in 1998 and rebuilt; and in 2008, Hurricane Ike dumped
over 6 feet of water inside the store; but, as in the past, it survived. If you
visit, be sure to notice the large Coca Cola sign on the exterior. It is one of
the oldest porcelain neon Coke signs in existence. The Reuben sandwich and the hamburger
are the most ordered meals.

You may be surprised to see how close the Strand is to the cruise
terminal. On any given day, you can see these giant ships docked a block away. The
first weekend of December the Strand really comes alive for Dickens on the
Stand, reliving Dickens’ London including performers, parades and even a
skating rink.

ISLAND PASS (DISCOUNT ENTRY FEES)

If you plan to visit at least four attractions where entry fees are
charged, you might want to explore the Island Pass. It is online; you can
review all the participating attractions, see the discounts and purchase and
print your tickets. Or, you can go to the Visitors Center at 2328 Broadway
(Avenue J) and let the very knowledgeable folks there help you. They have a
computer set up for visitors to use for purchasing and printing their
discounted tickets. Discounts vary, but most attractions/tours offer a 40%
discount when purchased through Island Pass.